Hydraulic transmission for fabrictreating machines



ay 20 1969 E. KURTZ 3,4 4,109

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR FABRIC-TREATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 21, 1967 Sheet I of i 13 H i N M J N i 34! JJ 47 flu/enior Maj Cari/s E/(urfz awy C- E. KURTZ May 20, 1969 HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR FABRIC-TREATING MACHINES 7 Sheet 2 of5 Filed Aug. 21, 1967 I I I 1 1 1 02 for Cur/13; E Af/rfz May 20, 1969 c. E. KURTZ 3,444,709

HYDRAULIC wmnsmssxou FOR FABRIC-TREATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 21, 1967 Sheet ,3 of s i I kw I C. E. KURTZ May 20, 1969 HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR FABRIC-TREATING MACHINES Sheet 4 of 5 Filed Aug. 21, 1967 y 20, 1969 c. E. KURTZ 3,444,709

HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR FABRIC-TREATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 21, 1967 Sheet 5 of 5 J dli United States Patent 3,444,709 HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION FOR FABRIC- TREATING MACHINES Curtis E. Kurtz, Arlington Heights, 111., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 661,984 Int. Cl. D06f 37/40, 37/36 US. Cl. 68--23 22 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transmission for operating an agitator and rotating a clothes container and having a pump comprising apumping element and a housing therefor, the pumping element being rotatable to supply fluid to an agitatoroperating hydraulic motor, and the housing being connected to the container; a brake for restraining rotation of the container by pump reaction and releasable to obtain container rotation; and valving ccntrifugally-operative by container rotation to control the fluid output of the pump to provide initial acceleration of the container and thereafter high speed.

Summary of the invention This invention relates to a hydraulic transmission for fabric-treating machines.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic transmission for fabric-treating machines having a rotatable fabric container, the transmission having a pump with relatively rotating driving and driven pump elements with the driven element being connected to the container, and having means, responsive to the speed of rotation of the driven element, to control discharge of the Working pump fluid for providing pump reaction to the container to initiate rotation and thereafter acceleration of the container to the rotational speed of the pump driving clement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic transmission for fabric-treating machines employing a rotatable clothes container; the transmission having a pump including a pumping element, and housing connected to the container, flow of hydraulic fluid through the pump and discharge to the sump providing a reaction torque on the housing and container to initiate rotation thereof; and control means, responsive to the speed of rotation of the container, for influencing fluid flow to provide for acceleration of the container to approximately the speed of rotation of the pumping element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulic transmission for fabric-treating machines having an oscillatable agitator in a clothes container; the transmission having a pump with relatively rotatable drive and driven pump elements, with the driven element being connected to the container; a hydraulic motor connected to the agitator; valve means controlled by the agitator and controlling operation of the hydraulic motor to oscillate the agitator for a fabric-cleaning operation; a brake for preventing rotation of the container during agitatoroscillation, and releasable to utilize the pump reaction to induce rotation of the transmission and container, for drying the fabrics; and valving, responsive to the speed of rotation of the container, to control the pump operation to accelerate the container to about the speed of the pump drive element.

The improved hydraulic transmission is particularly designed for a fabric-treating machine having an oscillatable agitator in a. rotatable clothes container, and a brake for preventing rotation of the container during agitator-oscillation; the transmission having a hydraulic mo tor connected to the agitator, a pump having a rotatable pumping element and housing element therefor, the pumping element providing fluid under pressure to operate the hydraulic motor for oscillating the agitator, the housing element being connected to the container, and operable when the brake is released, to rotate the container due to the pump torque reaction.

In one embodiment of the invention, the transmission control comprises a centrifugal force-responsive valve in the pump housing element and normally closed during the operation of the agitator-oscillating hydraulic motor, the valve opening in response to centrifugal force, upon brake release and container rotation, to permit unrestricted discharge of the pumped fluid to the sump with consequent initial near full capacity flow of the pump providing high reaction torque on the pump housing and thereby a heavy initial acceleration of the container and, as the flow and reaction torque decreases and relative rotation of the pumping and housing elements diminish, container rotation is provided with soft acceleration at high speed solely by the fluid friction and also the mechanical frictional engagement of the pumping and housing elements. In a second embodiment of the invention, the transmission control comprises a valve in the housing element and normally open during operation of the hydraulic motor, brake release causing pump reaction to rotate the housing element and the valve, the valve being responsive to centrifugal force, and closing in a manner to initially restrict fluid flow through the pump to accelerate the rotational speed of the container and thereafter to prevent fluid flow to hydraulically couple the pumping and housing elements so that the container rotates at approximately the speed of rotation of the pumping element.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the features of novelty characterizing the invention being pointed out particularly in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

Brief description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a clothes-cleaning machine embodying a preferred form of the hydraulic transmission of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the transmission and showing a pump, vane motor, and valving of the transmission, said section being taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal view of the vane motor and portions of the valving of the transmission, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and illustrating the hydraulic vane motor and control valving therefor;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the control valving, taken on line 66 of FIG. 2.;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the improved hydraulic transmission shown in FIGS. 1-6;

BIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of the transmission; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the transmission shown in FIG. 8.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of my improved hydraulic transmission 10 is shown in a fabrictreating or clothes-cleaning machine in the form of a washer 11 having an oscillatable agitator '12 to wash the clothes and a clothes container or basket 13 rotatable to extract washing liquid from the clothes.

The washer comprises a cabinet or casing 114 supporting a water container or tub enclosed at its bottom end by a bulkhead 16 and a flexible rubber inverted cupshaped member 17 overlying a central opening in the bulkhead and having an annular flange 18 connected to the opening-defining peripheral edge 19 of the bulkhead and in water-sealing relation thereto.

The basket 13, agitator 12, transmission 10, and the transmission drive shaft 20, are supported on a cylindrical steel mounting member 21 having its upper peripheral edge defined by a flange 22 extending between and connected to the flange 18 of member 17 and bulkhead edge 19. More particularly, the drive shaft extends through the members 21 and '17 and is rotatably mounted on the member 21 by a ball-bearing assembly 2 3. The bearing assembly 23 provides a radial and thrust bearing and, for this purpose, there is disposed between and engaging the outer race 24 of the assembly 23 and the inner cylindrical surface of the member 21, an annular resilient bushing 25 of rubber or the like. The bushing 25 is mounted on a radially inwardly directed annular peripheral flange 26 of the member 21. The outer race 24 is substantially Z-shaped in cross section with its lower inwardly extending annular flange 28 thereof engaging the bottom of the bushing and the top flange 29 overlying the top of the bushing. It will be apparent that the described mounting arrangement provides for the basket, agitator, transmission and its drive shaft, being flexibly and solely supported at a point near the lower end of the drive shaft. Disposed within the upper opening of the flexible member =17 and surrounding the drive shaft 20 is a roller-bearing assembly 31, the member 17 having a cylindrical flange engaging the outer race of the assembly 3 1, the inner race of the assembly being secured to the drive shaft. The flexible member 17 is effective to vertically align the bearing assemblies 23 and '31 and resistively permits gyratory movement of the basket, agitator and transmission, about the lower end of the drive shaft due to an unbalanced load during rotation of the basket.

The drive shaft is connected to an electric motor 32 supported on the cabinet and extending upwardly into a pocket 33 formed in the bulkhead 16. The motor 32 has a drive pulley 34 connected by a belt 35 to a pulley 36, secured to the end of the drive shaft 20, and to a pulley 37 connected to a water pump 38 provided for exhausting water from the tub through an opening in the bulkhead 16 during rotation of the motor.

Referring to the improved hydraulic transmission, and specifically to FIGS. 1-7, inclusive, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, the important elements of the hydraulic transmission are a fluid pump 40 having its housing connected to the basket; a vanetype hydraulic motor 41 for driving the agitator; control valving 42 (FIGS. 4 and 5) for the motor 41; a solenoidcontrolled brake 43 for the basket :13; and spin-control valve 44.

A fluid sump 46 is provided which is illustrated for convenience in various places in the schematic view of FIG. 7, although, in actual construction, one fluid sump 46 is provided into which all of the exhaust connections for various elements of the transmission exhaust pressure. In FIG. 7, electric conductors 49 and 50 interconnect at source of power 51 with motor 32, the conductor 50 being a ground conductor. The cycle selector switch 52 is connected to the motor by a conductor 53. The switch 52 is schematically illustrated in a simplified form although, in the washer installation, the cycle selection would be performed by a sequential controller or timer well known in the art. Conductors 54 and 55 connect the brake solenoid 47 to the switch 52.

Referring now more particularly to the transmission components, FIGS. 1-6 illustrate the structural components and their assembly in the transmission, while FIG. 7 schematically identifies the components in their operative relation to each other and to the agitator and basket and the drive motor and with particular reference to the fluid passages interconnecting the components in the performance of their functions in controlling oscillating movement of the agitator and rotation of the basket.

In general, and as shown in FIGS. l-6, the transmission structure comprises a unitary assembly adapted to be drivingly connected to the agitator 12 and to the basket '13 at its upper end and to the drive shaft 20 at its lower end. More particularly, and as shown in FIG. 2, the transmission structure comprises a housing 56 provided by top and bottom annular plates 57 and 58, and a cylindrical collar 59 extending between the plates and having their top and bottom edges received within circular grooves 60, 61 respectively formed in the plates to pro vide the sump or reservoir 46 for the hydraulic fluid. Seals are positioned in the grooves and engage the collar to contain the fluid in the sump. The housing 56 contains, and its top and bottom plates '57 and 58 confine, the operating components of the transmission including the vane motor 41 having a housing '64; control valve 42 in a portion of housing 64; and the pump 40. A plurality of bolts 65 extend through and connect the plates 57 and 58, the vane motor and valve housing 64 to confine the vane motor 41, the valve assembly 42 and pump 40 therebetween.

A positive displacement or expansible chamber type pump in the form of a conventional gerotor pump is shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 having an inner rotor 67 keyed to the drive shaft 20, and an outer rotor 68 rotatable in a housing. The housing comprises a cylindrical ring 69a surrounding the rotors, and top and bottom plates 69b and 690. The outer rotor 68 is provided with recesses 70 therein adapted to receive the teeth 71 on the inner rotor 67. As seen in FIG. 7, rotation of the rotor in a clockwise direction, during the agitate cycle, causes fluid to enter the pump through the port 72 (FIGS. 2 and 7) in the housing plate 690 and, in a well-known manner, will act in the fluid chambers between the teeth 71 of the inner rotor and the recesses 70 of the outer rotor to provide fluid under pressure to a port 73 in the housing plate 690.

The vane-type hydraulic motor 41 is shown structurally in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, and schematically in FIG. 7 and comprises the housing or body 64, defining with a top fluid-passage plate 75 and plate 6917, a fluid chamber in which is received the vane 78 connected to the agitator shaft 79. The body 64 has a wall 89 projecting radially inwardly into the chamber and dividing the chamber into two portions 77a and 77b. The wall has its apex formed arcuately concave to engage the cylindrical side portion of the vane hub 78a to provide, with the vane, the expansible and contractible fluid chambers 77a and 77b. The vane 78 reciprocates as fluid under pressure is admitted alternately to opposite sides thereof into the chamber portions 77a and 77b to oscillate the agitator during the washing cycle. As seen in FIG. 2, the vane is formed integral with the agitator shaft 79 journalled in the top cover plate 57, a portion of the pump inner rotor shaft 20 projecting into a central axial opening 81 in the vane. The vane has an arcuate tip conforming to the cylindrical interior surface 82 of the body 64 and, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip is provided with a recess receiving a spring 83 and plunger 84, the spring actuating the plunger into engagement with the surface 82 to preclude fluid flow between the chamber portions 77a and 77b. It may be noted that the top cover plate 57, plates 75 and 69b, and vane 78, contain various fluid ports and passages cooperaing with ports and passages in the vane motor housing 64, in a manner later to be desribed.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, the top surface of the hub 78a of the vane 78 is provided with two radially-spaced arcuate grooves 118 and 119 adapted to be connected to conduits 106 and 107. As seen in FIG. 2, the plate 75 is positioned between its top side contacts the bottom of the plate 57 and its bottom side contacts the vane and housing of the vane motor. To afford fluid communication between the valve 86 and vane motor fluid chambers, the plate 75, as seen in FIGS 3 and 6, is provided with circular openings 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113. The openings 108, 111, 112, 113 are located to communicate with and to be connectible to the arcuate groove 118 in the vane hub 78a (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7). The openings 109 and 110 are located to be connectible to the arcuate groove 119 in the vane hub 78a (FIGS. 6 and 7). The openings 111 and 113 are located respectively at the radially inner ends of the passages 160 and 107 of the valve housing and are connectible to the arcuate groove 118 in the vane hub 78a. The openings 112 and 108 are located respectively above passages 120 and 121 of the valve housing, which connect to the sump 46.

The bottom of the vane hub 78a engages the top of plate 69b and is provided with a circular groove 122, the vane hub 78a having a passage 123 extending therethrough (FIG. 2) terminating at its upper end in the groove 119 and its lower end being disposed above port 73 to receive fluid under pressure from the pump which flows simultaneously into the passage 123 and port 73.

The passage 106 in the valve housing functions via port 101 to exhaust fluid from one end of the valve spool while fluid under pressure is admitted by passage 107 and port 95 to the other end of the spool to shift the spool and thereby cause fluid under pressure from the pump to flow to port 97 and passage 103 to chamber 77b of the vane housing. The passage 107 in the valve housing functions via port 95 to exhaust fluid from the other end of the valve spool while fluid under pressure is admitted by passage 106 and port 101 to the other end of the spool to shift the spool and thereby cause fluid under pressure from the pump to flow to port 99 and passage 102 to chamber 77a of the vane housing. In this manner, the vane motor controls the operation of the spool to direct fluid to, and exhaust fluid from, the motor chambers 77d and 77b to oscillate the vane.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention dis closed in FIGS l-7, an important inventive feature is the provision of a valve assembly CV in housing ring 69a and located in a valve chamber 127 in a projecting portion 125 thereof extending toward and sealingly engaging the inner surface of the cylindrical collar 59, the top and bottom sides of portion 125 respectively engaging the plates 6% and 690, with plate 690 seated on a shoulder 124 of plate 58 in sealing relation therewith. The chamber 127 is cylindrical, extends radially of the axis of rotation of shaft 20, and is closed at its radially inner end. A spool of the valve assembly CV is provided with spaced lands 133, 134 with an intervening groove 135, the spool normally being positioned (as shown) by a spring 136, compressed between land 134 of the spool and the collar 59, so that the land 134 closes ports 137 and 138 in the housing 69a aligned with ports in plates 6% and 69c to normally prevent flow of hydraulic under pressure from working chamber C to the sump 46 during agitator oscillation by the vane motor 41. The valve spool is hydraulically balanced by the provision of suitable passages drilled in the lands 133, 134, as shown.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the transmission housing top plate 57 contacts the bottom wall of the basket 13 and is secured thereto by bolts extending through the basket wall and into the top plate 57 so that the transmission housing is secured to the basket. To prevent rotation of the basket and transmission during the washing-agitate operation, the hub of the transmission plate 58 is provided with the brake 43 comprising a brake band 130 having a friction lining 131 normally engaged with the hub to prevent rotation of the basket. The brake is released by the solenoid 47 having its winding 132 connected to conductors 54 and 55 (FIG. 7) providing an energizing circuit upon movement of the switch 52 to its SPIN position.

The vane motor housing 64, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4,

5, and 7, contains the agitator control valve 42 including a spool 86 reciprocable in a tangential bore"87 in the housing under the influence of fluid pressure controlled by the vane 78 to direct fluid under pressure into one of the chamber portions 77a or 77b while simultaneously exhausting the fluid in the other chamber portion, to reciprocate the vane. More particularly, the spool 86 is provided with lands 88, 89, and 90, the lands 88 and 89 being separated by a groove 91 and the lands 89 and being separated by a groove 92. The ends of the bore 87 are provided with plugs 93 and 94. The spool is shiftable in the bore 87 by fluid under pressure supplied successively to opposite ends of the spool.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, the area of the valve body around the valve 86 includes ports 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, and 101. Fluid conduits 102 and 103 are respectively connected to chambers 77a and 77b, and to ports 99 and 97. Conduits 104 and 105 are connected to ports and 96, respectively, and are exhaust passages connected to the sump 46. Conduits 106 and 107 are connected to ports 101 and 95, respectively.

Reference is now made to the schematic disclosure in FIG. 7 for an explanation of the operation of the transmission. In FIG. 7, when the movable member of switch 52 is positioned in engagement with the switch contact WASH to provide current flow through the motor windings in well-known manner, the electric motor 32 is energized and rotates the drive shaft 20 and the pump rotors 67 and 68 in a clockwise direction to provide fluid under pressure to the valve 42, and thereby to the vane motor 41, the valve CV being closed. Suction of the pump causes fluid to be drawn from the sump 46 into the port 72 of the pump.

The spool 86 of valve 42 controls pressure fluid flowing from port 73 of the pump through port 98 of the valve and directs the fluid through groove 92 of the valve spool, port 99, passage 102, into the chamber portion 77a of the vane motor to effect movement of the vane 78 in a clockwise direction. At this time, the fluid in chamber 77b flows through passage 103 and port 97 to port 96 and passage to the sump. When the vane moves to a position where its groove 119 connects passage 123 to port 109, passage 107, port 95, and to the valve chamber, fluid under pressure causes spool 86 to be moved to the left. Fluid is exhausted from the left end of the spool via port 101, passage 106, port 113, passage 118 to port 112, passage 120 to the sump 46. Upon movement of the spool 86 to the end of its travel, fluid under pressure flows from port 98 to port '97, passage 103 into chamber 77b causing vane 78 to be moved in a counterclockwise direction. At this time, fluid in chamber 77a is exhausted through passage 102, ports 99 and 100 to passage 104 and sump 46. As the vane rotates to a position where the end of vane groove 119 covers port 110, fluid under pressure from port 123 flows through passage 106 and port 101 to the left end of spool 86 to move the spool to the position shown in FIG. 7. Simultaneously, the groove 118 of spool 86 is in registry with ports 111 and 108 so that the fluid is exhausted from the right end of the spool through port 95, passage 107, port 111, groove 118, port 108 and passage 121 to the sump.

It will be apparent from the above description that the vane motor is controlled to provide oscillating movement of the vane, and thereby the agitator, during the washing operation.

To effect rotation of the basket during the spin-extract cycle, movable contact member of the switch 52 is moved from its WASH position to its SPIN position to complete an electric circuit energizing solenoid winding 132 via conductors 54 and 55, to cause the brake 43 to release its engagement of the hub of plate 58. As the electric motor is energized to continue rotation of the pump in the clockwise direction (FIG. 7), the pump is effective to provide fluid under pressure to port 73 of its housing and to the chamber C. However, as the brake is released when the agitator oscillation is effective, the pump reaction initiates rotation of the clothes basket and transmission. Upon rotation, the spool of valve CV is moved radially outwardly of the housing 69a by centrifugal force, against the closing action of spring 136, to cause the land 134 of the valve to uncover passages 137 and 138, to permit fluid in the chamber C to flow through port 138, groove 135 of the spool, port 137 to the sump 46. As a result, the fluid is circulated by the pump from sump 46, intake port 72 of the pump, through the pump and from the pressure port 73 of the pump to the chamber C and to the sump.

When the brake is released, the transmission starts to spin, and centrifugal force starts to open the valve, against the action of spring 136, to dump the hydraulic fluid to the sump, which limits the torque applied to the basket and reduces the rate of acceleration of the basket. When the fluid is allowed to freely recirculate through the valve housing and pump, and the brake is released, the pump reaction and the mechanical friction of the pump components causes coupling of the drive shaft 20, through the transmission housing and pump, to the basket to cause the basket to spin at the desired speed to extract the water from the clothes in the basket. During the initial spin period, the valve is opened gradually by centrifugal force until the pump is flowing near its full capacity with a high reaction torque for high acceleration. As the capacity of the pump decreases and the spin relation between the pump elements and the housing approaches zero, the flow and reaction torque decreases, and soft acceleration occurs with the internal pump components mechanical friction and the fluid friction causing the transmission and thereby the basket to attain the desired spin speed approximating the speed of rotation of the drive shaft 20.

Description of second embodiment FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an hydraulic transmission for a fabric-treating machine similar to that disclosed in FIGS. 1-7 inclusive, but differing therefrom by the employment of a centrifugal-operated valve control featuring a valve spool normally open to permit fluid flow to the vane motor for oscillation of the agitator during the washing operation and engagement of the brake, and closable by centrifugal force upon release of the brake and rotation of the transmission, to restrict and then prevent, by blocking, the passage of hydraulic fluid from the pump. This control is particularly designed for use with considerably greater fabric-content capacity than that of the basket of the machine of FIGS. 1-7. The resultant higher friction and inertia forces, engendered by the use of the larger capacity basket, require greater effort to provide the desired acceleration and attainment of the high spin speed, than could be obtained by the mechanical friction and fluid friction of the pump of the control of FIGS. 17. For this purpose, the control valve, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, between the pump and the vane motor, is effective to close the pump output port so that the pump housing and rotors are hydraulically coupled to provide a positive drive between the electric motor and the basket.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, wherein like parts of the disclosure shown in 'FIGS. 1-7 are identified by the same numerical designations, it will be apparent the distinguishing feature resides in the provision of the control valve assembly comprising a valve spool 150 located in a cylindrical chamber 151 formed in the pump housing 69a and having lands 152 and 153 spaced by a groove 154, the spool normally being positioned by a spring 155, compressed between the land 1'53 and a plug 156, the plug closing and sealing the outer end of the chamber 151. To prevent flow of fluid, under pressure, from the chamber C to the sump 46, the plate 696 extends toward and sealingly engages a shoulder 124 of the housing bottom plate 58.

Fluid under pressure flows from the port 73 of the 8 pump into the chamber C and through aligned openings in the plates 6% and 690 and pump housing 69a, and also the groove 154 in the spool, to the vane motor for oscillating the agitator, the brake 43 being applied to restrain rotation of the transmission housing.

At the conclusion of the washing operation and with the agitator still oscillating, the brake is released thereby causing, as in the centrifugal valve control of FIGS. 17, a reaction in the pump effective to start the basket and transmission to rotate. However, it will be apparent the valve spool 150 will be moved by centrifugal force, against the action of spring 155, to initially restrict and partially gradually close the flow passage to the vane motor 42 from the high pressure fluid chamber C to accelerate the rotation of the transmission housing and basket. When the flow passage is closed by the valve spool land 152, the pump rotors 68, 71, and housing 69a are hydraulically coupled to provide a substantially 1:1 speed ratio between the drive shaft 20 and the basket 13.

It will be apparent from the description of the embodiments of the present invention that I have provided control valve arrangements for a fluid circuit of a pump having its housing element, for its pumping element, connected to the clothes container of a fabric-treating machine, the control valve arrangements being operable, by centrifugal force, to control flow of fluid through the circuit to hydraulically couple the pumping and housing elements together to thereby effect a reaction torque in the pump operative to rotate the container by the housing element providing a substantially direct drive connection between the electric motor drive shaft and the basket.

Although a pump of the gerotor or geartype has been shown to illustrate the present invention, obviously other positive displacement or expansible chamber type pumps, including vane type pumps, can also function satisfactorily and be used in practicing the invention.

While I have shown and described certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended to cover equivalent variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fabric-treating machine, a rotatable fabric container; a motor having a rotatable drive shaft; a positive displacement pump including relatively rotatable elements including a pumping element and a housing element therefore, said pumping element being connected to said drive shaft and said housing element being connected to said container; and means, including valve means carried by one of said elements and operable by centrifugal force, for controlling flow of fluid by said pump to induce a reaction torque on said pump operative to rotate said container.

2. In a fabric-treating machine, a rotatable fabric container; a motor having a rotatable drive member; a positive displacement pump including a pumping element connected to said drive member, and a housing element for said pumping element and connected to said container; and means, including valve means carried by said housing element and operable by centrifugal force, for controlling flow of fluid by and through said pump to induce a reaction torque on said thousing element operative to rotate said housing element and thereby said container.

3. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 2 wherein a spring engages said valve means and is operative to yieldingly oppose movement of said valve means by centrifugal force.

4. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said valve means is a spool valve extending radially of the axis of rotation of said drive member and located to control the flow of fluid under pressure from said pump.

5. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said valve means is normally closed and is opened by centrifugal force to provide for continuous fluid flow through said pump, during rotation of said pumping element, to reduce the reaction torque on said housing element for rotating said housing element and thereby said container.

6. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim wherein said housing element is mechanically and hydraulically frictionally engaged with said pumping element for effecting rotation of said housing element.

7. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 5 wherein the pump has its intake and discharge ports in a fluid circuit including a sump, and said centrifugal forceresponsive valve means is located in said circuit between said sump and one of said pump ports.

8. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 5 wherein the pump has its intake and discharge ports in a fluid circuit including a sump, and said centrifugal forceresponsive valve means is located in said circuit between said discharge port and said sump.

9. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 5 wherein said pump is the gerotor type, the pumping element being an externally toothed gear connected to the drive member and meshing with an internally toothed ring gear rotatable in the housing element connected to the container.

10. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said valve means is normally open and is closed by centrifugal force to hydraulically couple said pumping element and said housing element and thereby said drive member and said container.

11. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said centrifugal force-responsive valve means is operable to throttle the flow of fluid by and through said pump in a manner to initially restrict fluid flow through the pump to provide a reaction torque on said housing element for accelerating the speed of rotation of said housing element and thereby said container, said valve means thereafter being closable to prevent fluid flow to hydraulically couple said housing element and said pumping element to provide a substantially direct drive between said drive member and container.

12. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 10 wherein the pump has its intake and discharge ports in a fluid circuit including a sump, and said valve means is located in said circuit between said sump and one of said pump ports.

13. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 10 wherein the pump has its intake and discharge ports in a fluid circuit including a sump, and said valve means is located in said circuit between said sump and said pump discharge port.

14. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 10 wherein said pump is the gerotor type, the pumping element being an externally toothed gear connected to the drive member and meshing with an internally toothed ring gear rotatable in the housing element connected to the container.

15. In a fabric-treating machine, a rotatable fabric container; an agitator in, and actuable relative to, said container; an electric motor having a drive shaft; driving means for said agitator and operative to actuate said agitator for cleaning the fabric; driving means for said container and including a pump having a pumping element and a housing element therefor, said housing element being connected to said container for rotating said container to dry the fabric, and said pumping element being connected to said drive shaft; a device preventing rotation of said housing element during operation of said agitator-driving means, and releasable to provide for rotation of said container by the reaction torque exerted on said housing element by flow of fluid through said pump by said pumping element; and means, including a valve rotatable with said housing element and responsive to centrifugal force, during release of said device, for controlling circulation of fluid through said pump to couple said pumping element and said housing element for substantially unitary rotation of said drive shaft and said container.

16. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 15 wherein said fluid is confined to flow in a closed fluid circuit, and said valve is located in said circuit and is operative by centrifugal force to control flow of fluid in said circuit and thereby pump operation.

17. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 15 wherein the pump has its intake and discharge ports in a fluid circuit including a sump, and said valve is located in said circuit between said pump discharge port and said sump.

18. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said valve is normally-closed and opens in response to centrifugal force to provide for continuous fluid flow from said pump discharge port to said sump to drivingly connect said pumping and housing elements by mechanical friction engagement and fluid friction connection of said elements.

19. In a fabric-trea-ting machine as defined in claim 15 wherein said pump is the gerotor type, the pumping element being an externally toothed gear connected to the drive shaft and meshing with an internally toothed ring gear rotatable in the housing element connected to the container, said gears and said housing element being frictionally engaged to couple said gears and said housing element and thereby said drive shaft and said container for substantially direct drive.

20. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 15 wherein said agitat0r-driving means is a hydraulic motor connected to said agitator, and valve means controls flow of fluid from said pump for operation of said hydraulic motor to actuate said agitator.

21. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 18 wherein said valve is normally closed, upon release of said device, to prevent flow of fluid from said pump discharge port to said sump and thereby through said pump to drivingly connect said pumping and housing elements to initially provide maximum reaction torque on said housing element for accelerating the speed of rotation of said container, said valve means thereafter gradually opening in response to centrifugal force.

22. In a fabric-treating machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said valve is normally open and, upon release of said device, said valve closes in response to centrifugal force to prevent flow of fluid in said circuit thereby to induce a reaction torque on said housing element for rotating said housing element and said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,574,418 11/1951 Rubano 68-23 X 2,592,597 4/1952 Pengelly 68l2 X 2,996,908 8/1961 De Zarate 6823 3,216,281 11/ 1965 Teichert 74-687 3,242,703 3/1966 Brundage 6823 3,388,569 6/1968 Kurtz 6823 WILLIAM PRICE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 6053, 97 

